, specific groups emerged from the increasing frustration amongst men that divorce settlements and alimony laws were biased in favor of the women, leaving them voiceless victims of the divorce courts and blood sucking ex-wives. However, what has seen the largest reaction and the biggest affect on the development of men's groups in Canada, has been the issue of violence against women. Since 1989, we have seen emergence of two significant large men's organizations, including Men For Change (Halifax) and the development of the White Ribbon Campaign(WRC), (Toronto). The uniqueness of this phenomena is as a result of not only the different sociological and cultural norms between Canadian and American men, but more significantly the Montreal Massacre. On December 6 1989, a young man entered the Ecole Polytechnic in Montreal with a Sturm Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle and began to systematically murder every female student he could find. Fourteen women died in the massacre, and 13 others were wounded. Before Marc Lepine had finished, he turned the gun on himself. Lepine left a suicide note, detailing how he was refused admission to the engineering school. He blamed these women and feminists for ruining his life. In the opinion of many men, this was the final straw and something had to be done. 'Men for Change' was formed in the aftermath of the tragic killings in Montreal, by a group of Nova Scotia men. It is a pro-feminist, male-positive, ant-racists, and gay affirmative organization that is dedicated to promoting gender equality and ending sexism and violence. One way which it accomplishes this is through conducting open meetings, which are open to everyone, enabling men to meet other men who are concerned with similar issues and looking for a chance to share ideas and experiences. Though they state that they are a pro-feminist group, they do retain some mythopoetic elements, such as their quarterly gatherings at the f...
